A mischievous tortoise is capturing student’s attention in the MS Building of Mercer County Community College’s West Windsor Campus.
His name is Kirby, and he is a Chelonoidis Carbonara or a Red Footed tortoise. He was most likely named after Kirby from the Kirby video game series, though the kid who went away to another college gave him up never explained why he named him that.
Mercer has been Kirby’s home since 2015.
“Someone didn’t want him anymore, didn’t want the responsibility to take care of him,” according to Professor of Biology Patrick Natale III.
Kirby resides in the MS Building rooms 218 and 228, the prep room and Biology Professor Patrick Natale III’s office. He is around 10 years old, but the Red Footed tortoises can live to 50 years old according to reptilesmagazine.com.
In a quick poll of 30 Mercer students, only one knew about Kirby’s existence. However, “Students respond well about having life in a biology lab,” Natale says.
Haley Schweitzer a Liberal Arts Major first met Kirby when she had her Biology 101 lab. Schweitzer describes Kirby as “friendly and adorable.”
By all accounts, he is also mischievous, inquisitive and friendly.
“He has his favorite people. He will go in the professor’s room and just chase them,” says Professor Natale.
Kirby’s chase speed is at 0.06 mph, meaning it would take Kirby a little over an hour to complete a 100 meter dash. But he’d get there twice as fast a snail with a 0.02 mph average.
A typical day for Kirby begins around 8:30 a.m. when Natale lets Kirby out of his office. Kirby starts with some breakfast that consists of various vegetables. Then he proceeds to make his rounds. Students tend to bring in fruit treats for Kirby.
Once Kirby has made his rounds, Natale says he spends a lot of time trying to find a comfortable corner to rest. At night Kirby sleeps in Natale’s office waiting for the cycle to begin again.
When the weather gets warmer, pay attention outside because Natale’s work-study students tend to take Kirby on refreshing walks because he enjoys the grass.
He also enjoys the greenhouse but “you gotta keep an eye on him” in case he wanders or eats something he is not supposed to,” says Natale.
Kirby making his rounds. PHOTOS: Kristen Miller
